Wahpeton downs Hi-Liners in EDC Tourney

The Wahpeton Huskies scored early and often, jumping out to a 6-1 lead after three innings before ending the game early with a five run sixth in a 11-1 win over the Valley City Hi-Liners in the semifinals of the Eastern Dakota Conference baseball tournament Friday in Grand Forks.

The Hi-Liners would strike first with a run in the top of the first inning. Ethan Miller led off the game with a single. With one out, he would move to second on a passed ball. Then with two out, Broden Muske singled to center field to score Miller and give the Hi-Liners an early 1-0 lead.

That lead was short-lived. With two out in the bottom of the first, Josiah Hofman singled in Tori Uhlich who led off the inning with a single. Still with two out, Caden Hockert drove in two runs with a single to center to make it 3-1 Huskies.

Valley City would get two on with one out in the second inning, but could not push a run across.

In The bottom of the second with one out, Uhlich singled to right, scoring Caden Kappes. Uhlich came in to score on Hofman's two-out single to make it 5-1 Huskies.

Braxton Jorissen doubled to start the third, but again the Hi-Liners failed to score.

Wahpeton would score another two out run in the bottom of the third on a bases loaded walk to Uhlich, scoring Hockert.

Neither team scored in the fourth or fifth innings. Valley City got another base runner on in the sixth but Devyn Thornton was caught stealing to end the inning.

In the bottom of the sixth, Hockert drove in two runs with a triple. Then came in to score on jack Rittnour's double. Three pitches later, Jayden King scored Riley Thimjon and Rittnour with a single to end the game.

Wahpeton out hit the Hi-Liners 14-5. Ethan Miller, Braxton Jorissen, Broden Muske, Devyn Thornton and Max Mehus had the hits for Valley City. Miller scored the lone run and Muske had the RBI.

The eighth seeded Hi-Liners, now 7-9 on the year, will take on the third seed Fargo Shanley in a state qualifying game. The fifth seed Huskies will take on West Fargo Sheyenne in the EDC Championship game.